Rabo De Toro (Oxtail Stew from Spain)

Annacia's Note:

An Andalusian main dish. This is certainly not a dish for anyone who is watching their fat intake, though if you'd like you can refrigerate it after making it, manually take out the congealed fat, and then re-heat it.

• Total Time: 4 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 4 lbs oxtails
• 1 large onion , chopped
• 5 garlic cloves , chopped
• 1 carrot , thinly sliced
• 2 large tomatoes , chopped
• 2 green bell peppers , seeded and chopped
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 8 peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 saffron strands (optional)
• 2 cups amontillado sherry wine or 2 cups dry white wine
• 2 cups meat stock (about)
• olive oil (for frying)

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large sauce pan. Lightly salt oxtails and brown on each side. Take oxtails off the oil and set aside.
2. Brown the onion and garlic in the remaining oil until golden.
3. Return the oxtails to the pan.
4. Add vegetables, herbs and spices and stir to combine.
5. Add the sherry and only enough stock to cover the meat.
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer covered for 3-5 hours, until the meat is done (it should be easily falling off the bones), and the sauce has reduced.
7. If the sauce is still too liquid, uncover and boil rapidly for a few minutes.

Reviews

[Debber]

This was very good, but didn't quite knock our socks off (which is "required" for five-star rating). Used a few "extra" cloves of garlic, used a mixture of red, green, yellow & orange bell pepper (from my freezer stash) which added lovely color, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Very nice winter-in-Wisconsin supper (along with French bread for dipping into the stew).

[Mama's Kitchen (Hope)]

Wow! DH and DD enjoyed this dish tremendously! TONS of flavor! I had some matchsticks carrots that I needed to use up so I used those rather than slice more. I did remove as much of the fat as possible. My tomatoes were very ripe and cooked to nothing. This would be great if the pieces remained- MY FAULT not the fault of the recipe. I left this on the sotve top all day which was very nice. Supper was ready when I was and I got to enjoy a more relaxing evening with out the supper rush. DH had this with some leftover pasta and dd had it with leftover potatoes. They enjoyed not versions alot! Thanks Annacia for another great recipe! ZWT 3 Spain